Aveo owners won’t have to worry about big bills – it’s cheap to service and insure, while the 1.2-litre petrol will return an average economy of 51mpg. The 1.3-litre Ecodiesel model is claimed to be capable of 78mpg, the 95bhp diesel engine 69mpg and the 75bhp engine 76mpg.

The cleanest petrol model is the 1.2-litre eco manual option which emits 119g/km of CO2. This compares well to cars like Citroen’s more expensive C3, which emits 137g/km of CO2. The automatic transmission option does increase emissions considerably, so go for the manual box if you want to save both the environment and a little money – the road tax is cheaper for the manual versions.

Diesel versions are also very clean – the 75bhp and 95bhp ‘Eco’ engines emit less than 100g/km of CO2.

This version feels quite robust and no major problems should be expected. The technology and powertrains used are well developed, having being shared with other cars, and problems are rare. All models are covered by Chevrolet’s comprehensive five-year/100,000 mile warranty and come with one year’s roadside assistance.